


High or Low Tide

by Stjosten



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe, But they're learning, Established Relationship, Long Distance Pining, M/M, Soft Andrew Minyard/Neil Josten, Texting, That's my brand, andrew is super clingy, barely any plot, just fluff, long distance, maybe a bit too codependent on each other, so much introspective pining, super self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:40:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25343347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stjosten/pseuds/Stjosten
Summary: Andrew is off at college and Neil is back in Columbia finishing his senior year of high school. It’s fine. Nothing bad is going to happen in the short time apart. Neil is an idiot but he has survived alone for a long time before he met Andrew. It is going to be fine.Atleast, that’s what he keeps telling himself and for some reason it feels like lying.
Relationships: Andrew Minyard & Renee Walker, Kevin Day & Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 78
Kudos: 521





	High or Low Tide

Andrew keeps checking his phone because he is always checking his phone because he is _always_ worried about Neil. 

Nicky pretends not to notice. One week at PSU has given Andrew something akin to separation anxiety. He would never admit that out loud and would definitely, absolutely, never admit that to anyone he is related to, not even if Aaron keeps sending him knowing looks from across the lounge. 

“He’s fine,” Aaron finally says. Which only serves to remind Andrew that he is in fact _not_ subtle and is one hundred percent, definitely thinking too much. 

“Shut up,” Andrew shoots back. Nicky lets out a dramatic, dreamy sigh. The other foxes just stare. 

“Who is _he_?” Dan asks, because she is nosy and annoying in that way that an older sister would be nosy and annoying.

Andrew doesn’t bother replying. He is uninterested in feeding their addiction to gossip. 

He checks his phone again. 

“He’s _fine_ ,” Aaron says forcefully, “You're being annoying.” 

Nicky sighs _again_. Andrew taps his fingers against the back of his phone to keep himself busy. There has not been an incident yet. Andrew is worried for nothing. 

“You can call him?” Nicky offers quietly. Andrew sends him a warning glare and Nicky blanches back. 

“Right,” he says quickly, holding his hands up in surrender, “I’ll just shut up.” 

_Yes. Good. Shut up._

If the foxes are watching Andrew with great interest well, it was _their_ problem. Not his. 

The door opens and Wymack finally makes an appearance. He throws down a clipboard and says, “Alright, practice was shit. I know it’s the first week but you have to get it together. This year-“

Blah, blah, blah. Andrew doesn’t give a shit. He doesn’t care about exy. He doesn't care about winning. He ignores Wymack and definitely ignores the dirty looks from Kevin. 

He doesn’t check his phone. 

It buzzes anyway. 

He flips it over, probably with too much interest, too quickly, too excited, and checks the message. 

**just got home. we r out of cereal ):**

Andrew definitely doesn’t sigh. He definitely doesn't slump his shoulders in relief. He _definitely_ doesn’t snatch his phone up to type out a reply. 

“Minyard.”

Andrew looks up because obviously Wymack is talking to him. He calls Aaron by his first name and Andrew isn’t stupid enough to think he can get away with pretending to be the wrong twin. 

“Am I boring you?” 

_Yes_. 

“No, Coach,” Andrew says dutifully. 

Wymack, good old Wyamck, gives Andrew that look of warning that he gives him during practice when Andrew is being studiously uninterested in the ball. 

“Good. Pay attention,” He says and then immediately returns to his lecture about _getting along_ and _championships_ , blah blah blah. 

Andrew taps his finger against his phone to stop himself from replying, keeping his eyes on Wymack with some semblance of interest. As soon as the meeting is adjourned and Wymack tells them to _fuck off_ , Andrew is off the couch and out of the room.

He unlocks his phone, the passcode is _stickball_ thanks to Neil changing it the day before Andrew left, and opens Neil’s message. 

_**We have real food. Check the fridge.** _

“Oh did he finally text you?” Nicky asks, popping up on Andrew’s left to look over his shoulder. Andrew quickly locks his phone and tucks it out of sight. 

“I told you he was fine,” Aaron adds dryly. Andrew ignores them both. 

It is as simple as this, Neil is a murder magnet, Andrew is worried. 

His phone buzzes again. Andrew is able to refrain from checking it for an entire 30 seconds. A new record. 

**how do you defrost chicken?**

Okay, Neil is a murder magnet _and_ incapable of taking care of himself. Andrew is _worried_. 

“Don’t stress yourself, Andrew,” Nicky says sweetly, “I understand what it’s like to miss the person you love. Being away from Erik has been-“

Andrew pulls the car keys out of his back pocket and unceremoniously chucks them at Nicky’s face. He sputters and grabs the keys before they hit the ground. 

“Wow, rude,” Nicky laments, “I was just trying to help.” 

“Don’t say the L word around Andrew,” Aaron warns,, “He’s afraid of having feelings.” 

Andrew ignores them both in favor of navigating through the Foxhole Court while texting. He has the layout of the court memorized anyway, his body knows where to go without his eyes guiding him.

_**can you wait fifteen minutes? I’ll call you and walk you through it, idiot. Don’t burn the house down.** _

**k :)**

If Andrew is the type of person to sigh, he thought maybe he would have sighed just then. 

Andrew is off at college and Neil is back in Columbia finishing his senior year of high school. It’s fine. Nothing bad is going to happen in the short time apart. Neil is an idiot but he has survived alone for a long time before he met Andrew. It is going to be fine. 

Atleast, that’s what he keeps telling himself and for some reason it feels like lying. 

As soon as they’re in the car Aaron is leaning into the space between the front seats and asking Nicky to drop him off at Katelyn’s dorm. 

Andrew’s phone buzzes again. 

**nvm I looked up a video.**

_Impatient and an idiot._

Andrew immediately hits the call button on Neil’s ID and puts it on speaker, holding it out in Nicky’s direction so he will understand that _Nicky_ is the one that needs to have this conversation with Neil. Not him. 

Neil picks up in two rings.

“That was fast. Didn’t you say fifteen minutes,” Neil’s voice is grainy. He must have set his phone on speaker and set somewhere in the kitchen. Andrew can almost see him, red hair pulled back in a bandana, wearing a pair of running shorts and one of Andrew’s old t-shirts. He thinks about it far too much. Neil, warm and smiling standing in their kitchen in Columbia.

Andrew _misses_ him. 

Nicky looks confused but Andrew gestures at him with the phone until he has a big, wide smile on his face. 

“Hi, Neil,” Nicky says brightly.

“Oh!” Neil says, surprised, suddenly there is a clang in the background, that causes Nicky to wince and then suddenly Neil’s voice is right next to the phone, “Is everything okay? Is Andrew there? Did something happen?” 

“No, idiot,” Andrew says. Neil lets out a relieved sigh. “You need help cooking. Nicky cooks.” 

“Oh!” Nicky says loudly, “What do you need help with, Neil? What are you making?” 

“It’s fine,” Neil says quickly, “I’m figuring it out.” 

“That sounds promising,” Aaron says from the backseat. 

Neil must have heard him because he immediately says, “What is this? A house meeting? I can _cook_ without needing a panel of assistance, Andrew.” 

“Well there was that one time-” Nicky starts but is cut off by Neil’s loud annoyed groan. 

“I’m learning,” Neil says hotly, “It’s fine. I don’t want to bother you guys.” 

“You’re not bothering us, honey,” Nicky says quickly, “Listen, what are you making. I can walk you through it.”

Neil finally gives in, knowing that Andrew won’t let him try and cook on his own and also knowing that as soon as Andrew brought Nicky into the conversation that he wouldn’t let it go either. By the time they finish dropping off Aaron at Katelyn’s dorm and arrive back at Fox Tower, Nicky is walking Neil through prep. 

Andrew hands his phone off to Nicky and grabs their bags from the back before getting out of the car. Nicky follows after him, listing off instructions for Neil to follow which is met with a lot of questions and _where do we even keep the spices?_ Nicky laughs while Neil struggles and Andrew tries very hard to keep the small curl of his lips at bay.

The dorms are lively with other PSU teams getting back from their practices. As soon as they are inside their dorm room, Andrew is grabbing the phone away from Nicky, and locking himself in his room. 

“You know,” Neil says sweetly, “I _am_ capable of taking care of myself.” 

“Your definition of taking care of yourself is eating cereal for every meal,” Andrew repremends quietly, “I don’t feel like visiting a corpse next weekend.” 

Neil hums and Andrew’s heart burns. 

_He misses him, he misses him, he misses him._

“So one more week, then?” Neil asks.

“Just one more week.” 

Neil sighs and Andrew thinks, no _knows_ , Neil misses him too.

*

They met in detention Andrew’s sophomore year of High School. Neil was a scrawny freshman, hiding under brown hair dye and brown contacts, pretending to be inconspicuous. Then he decided to punch Thomas March in the face because he was bullying some young freshman girl and all inconspicuousness went straight out the window. 

They weren’t _friends_ after that first meeting, but Andrew had a reputation and as soon as he was claiming Neil as one of his own the rest of the school learned to leave Neil alone. Then they just fell into a routine. 

Cigarettes under the bleachers turned into heavy make out sessions that ended up spreading across the entire school, no dark corner was safe, until they weren’t just acquaintances or friends anymore. They weren’t really _anything_ because Andrew refused to label it and Neil constantly reminded him that he was going to move away soon anyway so it didn’t matter.

And then Neil was kidnapped. 

Things changed after he reappeared six months later, scars on his face, hair the color of a sunset, eyes bluer than anything Andrew had ever seen before. _This_ version of Neil came with new truths, confessions, a real identity, and the loose protection of the FBI. _This_ Neil wanted to be real and wanted to stay and came back for Andrew against all odds. That was the moment Andrew stopped calling it nothing and started calling it _something_. That was also the moment Neil moved in with them because he had no family and nowhere else to go. 

Andrew’s worry is more than justified. Losing Neil for six months, only to have him come back in bandages did something to Andrew’s heart. He stopped lying to himself and to Neil. He stopped lying to Nicky and Aaron. He opened up the gates that he had barred shut and handed Neil the key for easy access. 

Which meant that Andrew was much more liable to get hurt if something _did_ happen. Which is why he’s _worried_. 

Maybe he should have let Nicky stay back a year to keep an eye on Neil. But Nicky had already given up half of his life with Erik in Germany to raise Andrew and Aaron. Another year away would have been too much to ask and Neil _insisted_ he would be fine on his own. 

Andrew needs to learn to let Neil go. They had been attached at the hip for nearly four years straight. Andrew needs to learn to go on without him. 

It isn’t easy. 

Practice is boring and Kevin keeps giving Andrew shit for not trying hard enough, but little does he know that the only reason he _started_ playing exy was to keep Aaron busy and then to keep Neil close. He barely tries during morning workouts and morning practice and he _really_ doesn’t try at all at afternoon practice. Classes are starting next week, their first game is two weeks away, and the weekend in between Andrew gets to drive back to Columbia and see Neil. 

He’s distracted. It’s pissing Kevin off which is pissing Dan off, because she can hardly handle Kevin pushing on her authority as captain. In turn this all pisses Wymack off because he has to listen to them bitch everyday after practice. 

Andrew is tired. 

Sometimes he replays his favorite memories of Neil to keep himself grounded.

Neil sleeping next to him in bed, curled up with his hands tangled in the front of Andrew’s night shirt. Neil stretched out on the couch with his sock covered feet tucked in Andrew’s lap. Neil wearing that oversized, rainbow sweater that Andrew hates because it makes him look so soft and sweet. Neil smiling after coming back from a morning run and then tackling Andrew straight into the pillows. Neil’s smug smile that he would throw Andrew from the other side of the court after making an impossible goal. 

It’s stupid. Andrew is stupid. He lets another shot from Kevin into his goal without so much as sparing the ball a parting glance. Kevin throws his racket down, an expensive heavy racket that definitely shouldn’t be thrown on the floor so carelessly, and stalks straight over to Andrew’s goal. 

“What is wrong with you?” Kevin asks, ripping off his helmet so he can give Andrew an award winning scowl that does very little in the way of intimidation.

“Nothing,” Andrew says casually. He leans on his racket lazily and gives Kevin an unimpressed look. His eyes see Kevin but his subconscious is replaying a sleepy, bedhead Neil with bright eyes tugging him into a sleepy morning cuddle. 

He wishes he was literally anywhere else but here. 

“You’re not trying,” Kevin says, “Why aren’t you taking this seriously?” 

“Make me take it seriously,” Andrew challenges, “If you can manage that then you can have my game. Until then get the fuck out of my goal.”

Kevin looks surprised and then determined. 

_Finally. It’s getting interesting._

“What would it take to make you give a shit?” Kevin asks, “What do I have to give you?” 

“Boring,” Andrew replied dryly, “Figure it out on your own.” 

Kevin huffs and pulls his helmet back on before stalking off to his discarded racket. Andrew watches him with disinterest, wondering if maybe eventually something interesting would happen. 

Practice carries on and Andrew doesn’t try because now he’s determined to force Kevin to give him a reason to care about this god forsaken sport. 

It’s an impossible task. Andrew would only care if Neil was here.

*

The first week of classes is bland and uninteresting. Andrew spends his time distracting Neil from his own classes with unimportant texts and commentary on his day by day. Neil replies when he can and then gets his phone confiscated in his advanced calculus class which amuses Andrew to no end. Neil pretends to be annoyed but Andrew can hear the smile in his voice. It’s enough. Enough to get him through the week. 

Friday practice goes the same as every other practice. Andrew barely tries, Kevin tries to coerce him to give a shit, and Andrew persists in his indifference. Nicky keeps sighing and Aaron keeps giving him scathing looks from across the court. It doesn’t matter, Andrew is leaving after practice to go to Columbia for the weekend, nothing else matters. 

Wymack keeps his post practice speech short and sweet before dismissing them for the weekend. Andrew drops Nicky, Aaron, and Kevin off at the dorms, ignoring Kevin’s questioning the entire way. 

_Where are you going? What do you mean you’re leaving for the entire weekend? Will you be back for practice Monday morning?_

When Andrew is alone and on the highway headed to Columbia he finally lets himself breath. Every mile he sheds one more layer of resistance that he wears when he’s with the foxes. He knows he has to chip away the defensive walls he built around himself for life at PSU. Neil would not take him if he was covered in metal plated armor. He would rather have Andrew in his entirety, frayed edges and all, not some half assed version of Andrew that he wears in public. 

The lights are on in the living room when Andrew arrives. For some reason he stares at them longingly for a few minutes. He thinks about what waits for him on the otherwise. Realizes that he can have this. That’s it’s his to keep and no one else’s. 

He turns off the car, grabs his bag, makes it to the door, and then it opens before he can even reach for his keys and he’s being full body slammed by an impatient Neil. Andrew drops his bag and wraps both arms around him because _finally_ , finally, finally-

“Welcome home,” Neil says into Andrew’s shoulder and Andrew can’t help but think, _yes, finally. I’m home._

They don’t make it very far into the house. 

Andrew has half the mind to grab his bag and then, with one arm full of Neil, guides them inside and closes and locks the door.

His bag is forgotten by the front door and they collapse into the couch in an assortment of limbs and grabby hands. They kiss and they kiss and Andrew lets himself run his fingers through Neil’s unruly red curls and then find their spot wrapped around Neil’s rib cage, and then they find their home tucked in the curve of Neil’s waist. Neil doesn’t stop squirming until he’s in Andrew’s lap, arms wrapped around Andrew’s neck, hands grabbing and tugging at blonde hair so he can pull close and tilt Andrew’s head this way and that way, kissing Andrew senseless.

“I _missed_ you,” Neil breaths into Andrew’s mouth and oh, yeah, that. Andrew missed Neil like a _limb_ like an entire leg had been removed and Andrew had to learn to stand on just one until they were reunited again. 

They kiss until they’re satisfied, which turns out to be much longer than any person should be kissing, and then they move as one unit, grabbing Andrew’s bag from the door and heading straight back to their shared bedroom. 

The sun hasn’t even set yet, they should make dinner or go out to get something to eat, they should sit on the couch and talk over some stupid movie they find on netflix. Instead, they discard clothing and fall into bed like two curved puzzle pieces slotting together. Andrew wraps his arm around Neil’s waist and tugs him against his chest, Neil tucks his head under Andrew’s chin and keeps one steady hand placed over Andrew’s heart. 

Andrew falls asleep faster than he has in weeks and Neil follows right after him. 

Saturday is much the same. Andrew finds Neil awake in the morning making coffee. Andrew can’t keep his hands to himself and Neil doesn’t seem to want him to anyway. 

They kiss until they’re tired. They shower. They kiss some more. They watch a movie but talk through the entirety of it, Neil complains about school and Andrew listens. 

“Tell me about the foxes,” Neil asks. He’s sitting on the kitchen counter watching Andrew chop up a cantaloupe.

“I told you already,” Andrew replies, “They’re annoying and nosy.” 

“Did you tell them about me?” Neil asks, his head tilted to the right in a sort of cute and curious way. 

“I haven’t,” Andrew replies, “It isn’t their business.” 

Neil hums and looks disappointed. Andrew sighs because he does that sometimes but only with Neil. He does most things only ever with Neil.

“I don’t want them in my business,” Andrew says, “I’m not there to make friends.” 

“You _could_ be friends with them,” Neil says, “Why not? You spend all your time with them anyway.” 

“No thanks,” Andrew says. He chops the cantaloupe with more aggression than he should. Neil sighs. 

“Find at least one of them that you don’t hate,” Neil offers, “Become their friend. Talk about your escape plan for the zombie apocalypse. Tell them that you don’t like cream cheese because the texture is weird. Tell them your favorite color is actually red even though you only wear black. Tell them you like watching the sunrise and sunset but hate being awake for either of them. Tell them you like to climb to the top of the jungle gym at the park because it makes you feel tall.” Andrew scowls at him but Neil ignores him. “Tell them you’re smart and remember everything. Tell them you like to play goalie because you like to solve other people’s problems. Tell them your favorite day of the week is Sunday and that your favorite flavor of ice cream is salted caramel.” 

He takes in a breath and then says, “Tell them about _me_ and then brag about how cute I am.” 

“Shut up,” Andrew mumbles. Neil smirks and reaches out, hooking a hand in Andrew’s collar and pulling him in for a kiss that tastes like the strawberries Neil had been eating. He only gives him one kiss before pulling away completely. 

“Make a friend and then you’ll feel better. I promise.” 

“Says the one who doesn’t have any friends,” Andrew replies dismissively. But he knows Neil is right. Neil is always right. 

“I have one friend in Columbia,” Neil says, “They’re not as fast as me on court but I appreciate the effort.” 

“Your friendship criteria is lacking,” Andrew says, which makes Neil laugh. It sounds like bells ringing. Andrew will probably replay the sound over and over when they’re apart again. 

“Can I come to your game next week?” Neil asks. 

“Don’t you also have a game next week?” 

“Mine is on Saturday,” Neil says, “Yours is on Friday _and_ it’s a home game.”

“Can I trust you to drive to Palmetto without getting in an accident?” 

“Babe,” Neil says, because he likes the way it tints Andrew’s ears a light pink, “I drove from California to Columbia on my own. I’ll be fine.”

He probably would be fine. But would Andrew?

“Come on,” Andrew says, the cantaloupe finally cut into small squares, “Do you want fruit or not?” 

“I always want fruit,” Neil says with a bright smile. Andrew reaches out and pokes his sticky, fruit juice covered finger along Neil’s lips. Neil licks the juice away. 

“Junkie,” Andrew says softly. Neil smiles. 

He doesn’t want to leave this behind. 

On Sunday he forces Neil to go grocery shopping and then proceeds to buy enough food to feed Neil for an entire month. He makes lists of meals and Neil watches him with exasperation and a hint of a blush because he’s embarrassed at being so useless. Andrew doesn’t try to make him feel better, he just jots down recipes he knows by heart and then texts Nicky for the rest. 

He leaves the Columbia house at nine at night and definitely doesn’t feel himself losing ground every mile he takes back to Palmetto. 

It would be fine. _Neil would be fine_. He tries not to think too much until he’s back in the dorms and sends Neil a text letting him know he made it back in one piece. He goes to bed alone for the first time in two days, the only sounds are Nicky and Kevin’s snores and Aaron shuffling in bed. 

Maybe Andrew is the one that isn’t okay.

*

Andrew is _definitely_ the one that isn’t okay. 

He decides to take Neil’s advice to heart. He finds that Renee is the least frustrating out of all of the Foxes. She likes shitty old movies just like Andrew and appreciates salted caramel just as much as he does. It also turns out she has a plan for the zombie apocalypse and does not hesitate to argue in circles with Andrew about the complexities of surviving a post-apocalyptic America.

It’s nice. It isn’t the same as being with Neil, someone who knows Andrew from the inside out and then back around again, but it’s nice. It gives Andrew a distraction and also gives him an excuse to keep Neil off his back about making _friends_. Renee is the only one outside of Nicky and Aaron to learn about Neil. She is also the only one out of everyone that _does_ know about Neil that doesn’t downplay their relationship. 

She doesn’t judge Andrew for being too attached. She knows all about having nice things ripped away prematurely. She doesn’t judge him. Andrew thinks he might have finally met someone here he doesn’t hate spending time with. He tells her as much and she takes it with a smile on her face and says, _we’re practically friends._

It’s as easy as that apparently. 

The Friday game is full of stress and anxiety that Andrew does not want to deal with. The others are energy sucking nervous wrecks. All Andrew can think about is that Neil is in the crowd. That’s all that really matters in the end. 

Kevin corners him in the locker room before they head out to the court for warm ups. 

“What do I have to give you to make you try?” Kevin asks. 

“I told you already,” Andrew says, “You have to figure it out on your own. It’s more interesting that way.” 

“Why can’t you just _try_ because you want to win?” Kevin asks, annoyed, “Is it really that hard for you?” 

Maybe it’s because Andrew has too much pride and maybe because he’s feeling magnanimous since Neil is watching. 

“How about this, _Day_ ,” Andrew starts, he grabs Kevin’s helmet mesh and pulls him forward, “You can have this one game. Just this _one_ game. But after this you will have to figure out a way to keep my interest.” 

Kevin doesn’t look surprised or taken aback by Andrew’s attitude. He takes it seriously, nods seriously, gives Andrew a serious look and turns away. 

Andrew isn’t really that tired anymore. 

Before he leaves the locker room he sends Neil a text that says _**pick a number between 1 and 5**_. 

Neil sends back a simple **3** with a smirking emoji. Andrew takes the challenge for what it is. 

He only lets 3 shots in the goal before he shuts it down. 

They win because Andrew keeps his promises and he gave Kevin this _one game_ which is as close to a promise as Andrew would ever give Kevin. 

He doesn’t pay attention to Wymack’s speech and he ignores Kevin’s smug smirk and definitely ignores Dan’s awe. He changes out and goes straight to the lounge where Neil is waiting for him. 

“You were _amazing_ ,” is the first thing out of Neil’s mouth when Andrew is in range. He drags Andrew into a fierce hug and a kiss that tastes like lemon seltzer water. “You’re so _hot _in your gear. I didn’t think I would have a thing for you in orange but _holy shit_.” __

__“Disgusting,” Andrew replies, but he’s smiling just enough for Neil to feel it. When Neil laughs Andrew feels like the world has somehow managed to right itself again._ _

__Andrew doesn’t introduce Neil to the foxes, because he just knows that he will never hear the end of it from them, but he lets Renee tag along with them to a local diner for post game food and ice cream. Neil talks her ear off and Renee smiles through the entire meal. It feels like two worlds colliding and Andrew is suddenly not so overwhelmed anymore. Things tilt one way and then another and Renee moves from the _someone I don’t hate box_ to _someone I would protect_ box in less than twenty minutes. _ _

__It’s enough._ _

__Andrew leaves Palmetto and follows Neil back in his own car so they can spend the night together. The next day Andrew goes to Neil’s first game of the season and watches him take a disgusting amount of shots on goal and land almost all of them._ _

__Andrew stays for one more night and they sleep close together, almost all parts of them touching under the covers. When Andrew leaves the next morning it feels like leaving behind a piece of himself, but this time it doesn’t hurt as much as it did before. Andrew goes back to Palmetto to find Renee waiting for him._ _

__There will be 12 days until Andrew can see Neil again, but this time he isn’t absolutely terrified that something bad will happen between now and then._ _

__*_ _

__“I figured it out,” Kevin says, stopping Andrew from exiting the lounge after practice._ _

__“Did you?” Andrew asks, bored, uninterested, because there is _no way_ that Kevin could find something that could make Andrew actually give a shit about exy. It isn’t possible, because nothing could. _ _

__“Hold on,” Kevin says. He disappears out of the lounge and comes back with a CD and a file in his hand. Andrew doesn’t really have any clue what Kevin is going on about. It doesn’t really matter either way. Andrew is just going to humor him and then let him down hard when Kevin inevitably fails._ _

__Kevin turns on the tv and puts the CD in and then hits play. It’s a recording of one of Andrew’s games from his time playing at Columbia High. Andrew narrows his eyes and tries to understand what Kevin is showing him. Andrew is in goal and he stops a shot and then he shoots it down the court and-_ _

_Oh_. 

It was _that_ game. Andrew shot the ball down the court and it landed directly in the net of Neil’s racket like a piece of metal to a magnet. Neil takes his ten steps, he fires on goal, he scores. They win the game and then Neil is rushing to goal to give Andrew the most platonic racket tap that Andrew has ever seen. 

“See?” Kevin says. Andrew really doesn’t. 

“What?” Andrew asks, “What are you trying to say?” 

“That striker,” Kevin says. He points to Neil’s small form on the screen. 

“Also,” Kevin says, moving his finger and pointing at Andrew’s face, “You’re smiling.” 

“Your fucking point?” Andrew asks, annoyed because _fuck_ he _was_ smiling. 

Kevin takes the file in his hand and drops it in front of Andrew on the coffee table. Andrew picks it up. 

_Josten, Neil_ is written across the front. Andrew flips it open and looks over the records from Columbia High. 

“We’ll sign him,” Kevin says, “Wymack already approved.” 

“Why the fuck would he want to go here?” Andrew asks. Neil was destined for a _real_ team not a half-assed mess like the Foxes. 

“Because you’re on the team,” Kevin says, “You both play better together. He probably knows this. He won’t say no. Not when I’m offering it to him.” 

Kevin is probably right. Kevin the son of Exy. Of course Neil would jump at the opportunity to even be in the same room as him let alone play on the same court. 

“If you try this year,” Kevin says, “If you give me your game, we’ll sign him.” 

_Interesting_ , Andrew thinks, _finally_. 

“Fine,” Andrew says and he means it, “You can have my game.” 

Kevin looks delighted to the point that Andrew wants to wipe the smile off his face with the blunt end of a racquet. 

“Don’t look so proud of yourself,” Andrew says, “You could have figured it out if you asked Nicky or Aaron or even Renee.” 

“What does _that_ mean?” Kevin asks, “Are you friends with this kid?” 

_Friends_. 

“No,” Andrew says. 

“Wait-” Kevin yells but Andrew ignores him in favor of grabbing his belongings and leaving the lounge. “Wait! Don’t tell me you hate each other!” 

Andrew smiles as he leaves the Foxhole Court. 

__*_ _

_**how do you feel about being a fox?** _

**idk the orange might clash with my hair );**

_**die then** _

__

**waaaait come back I was kidding**

__

**andrewww**

__

**Andrew Joseph Minyard. I love you like you love ice cream. I plan on spending the rest of my life with you. I would say yes if the Foxes asked me. How could I say no?**

__

_**welcome aboard, then** _

__

**gasp. Does that mean I get to meet the foxes finally? Did you tell them about me???? Did you wax poetic about me????**

__

_**nevermind. I changed my mind. You’re off the team** _

__

**0:**

__

**HAH. Coach Rivers just told me that PSU recruiters are coming to talk to me on Friday. Looks like I’m back on the team**

_**Great. Five more years of you.** _

**;) <3**

**I love you, too**

**Author's Note:**

> Have y'all gotten sick of seeing me post yet? :P
> 
> unlike the title suggests there is no mention of beaches or water in this fic  
> (title comes from Aries by Gorillaz which screams Andreil so go listen to it and suffer with me)
> 
> this is very self-indulgent and has very little plot line but I felt a need to write something casually so here it is. Guess this is my own form of self-care writing super self-indulgent andreil fluff. It's my brand. 
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed this somehow or someway. I did not edit, because I don't ever edit anything. Godspeed.
> 
> You can find me on [Tumblr](http://stjosten.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/stjosten)!


End file.
